Contagious Diseases

Without vaccinations, quarantine was the best tool to prevent dangerous diseases from spreading.

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This newsletter from Seattle's Health Department celebrates a preventative treatment for Diphtheria. It concludes, "Only two possible reasons can now exist for a child having or dying of diphtheria. One is ignorance on the part of parents, and the other is procrastination."

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These three cases illustrated the need for proper treatment and prevention of diphtheria.

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In the 18th century inoculation against Smallpox became common. George Washington required the Continental Army to be inoculated. Smallpox was declared eradicated in 1980, but not without setbacks along the way.

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Dr. John S. Hitchcock worked in Massachusetts, and included a personal note for Dr. Frank L. Morse of Somerville.

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Representative William J. Bell wrote to Executive Clerk Laurence Howard regarding policies that would make vaccination more effective.

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Not everyone supported efforts to prevent diphtheria.

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Neighbors and the Board of Health worked to keep infections from spreading.